Zachlumia

Zachumlie or Zahumlje

File:Serb lands03.jpg

Zahumlje in the 9th century, according to De administrando imperio

File:Kpdai30.gif

Greek map of Serb lands in the 9th century, according to De administrando imperio

Zahumlje, also known as the Land of Hum, was a medieval principality located in today's Southern Dalmatia and south-western Bosnia.

Zahumlje, at various times, bordered the lands of Neretva/Narenta/Pagania to the west and southwest, Travunja to the east and southeast, and Serbia to the north. It encompassed the southern half of the what is today the Split-Dalmatia county.

"The Zahumljani (Zachlumoi) that now live there are en:Serbs, originating from the time of the prince (archont) who fled to emperor en: Heraclius [...] The land of the Zahumljani comprise the following cities: en:Ston (το Σταγνον), Mokriskik (το Μοκρισκικ), Josli (το Ιοσλε), Galumainik (το Γαλυμαενικ), Dobriskik (το Δοβρισκικ)".

Constantine VII, De Administrando Imperio, Chapter: 33[[1]]

Constantine VII Porphyrogenitos descibes Zahumlje and Zahumljani in De Administrando Imperio as a Serb tribe which settled in present Hercegovina around the Hum mountain region at the start of the 7th century. Zahumlje entered into confederations with the Serb princes of Raska early on. The Serb prince Caslav Klonimirovic of the House of Vlastimirovic fully incorporated this area into his domain between 927 AD and and 940. The Serb prince Caslav Klonimirovic of the House of Vlastimirovic fully incorporated this area into his domain between 927 AD and and 940. After the death of Caslav in 960, Travunia was contested between Byzantium and Bulgaria. But by 968, it was violently conquered by the Croatian King Kresimir but it returned to the Serb princes of the House of Vojislavljevic of Zeta by the middle of the 11th century and later to Serb princes of the House of Nemanjic of Raska.

The first known rulers of Zahumlje are ancestors of the Serb House of Nemanjic. Miroslav was the son of Zupan Zavida of Raska, whose 4 sons divided Serbia up and fought with each other. He was Duke of Zahumlje (ca 1168-71). His descendants are Toljen who II ruled next as Duke of North Zahumlje and died in 1239. He was followed by Nikola, until 1248 and Bogdan until 1249. Radoslav was Zupan of Zahumlje after 1249 until 22.5.1254.

Croatian academics have pointed out that Zahumlje could have been Croats, but this is not generally accepted since these claims rely on Chronicle of the Priest of Duklja, which has been discredited as unreliable and full of errors. It is now accepted in most academic circles outside of Croatia that Travunia/Travunja, the Bosna River Valley and Pagania / Paganija and Zeta / Duklja were settled with Serb tribes, as it states in De Administrando Imperio.

External Links:

http://genealogy.euweb.cz/balkan/balkan5.html[2]

http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/section/bosnianh_history.asp[3]

http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Serbia[4]

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02694a.htm[5]

http://forum.stirpes.net/showthread.php?t=788[6]

---